How Your Desk Job Is Hurting You

When you compare it to construction and deep sea fishing, desk jobs seem pretty cushy and low-risk. However, landing a nice white-collar role and sticking with it for years can carry a lot of underlying risks. It’s not just the stress of tight deadlines, the fattening working lunches and ill co-workers that you need to be aware of, either. Here are a few ways your desk job could be hurting your health…

Sitting All Day Reduces Your Lifespan

Sitting down for long periods of time is extremely taxing to your body. Those little twinges, aches and pains you feel at work are the least of your worries. Sitting for too long can in fact lead to an earlier death. Long periods of sitting down can increase your risk of musculoskeletal disorders, diabetes, obesity, cancer, and other conditions, even if you make a point of getting enough exercise. If you sit through your entire working day, you can mitigate the risk of these conditions by changing positions often, and make a point to move your body at least twice per hour.

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Long Commutes Get You Down

Studies have shown that commuting more than 10 miles by car can increase your blood sugar and cholesterol levels . Doing this regularly can also increase your risk of depression, anxiety, and generally bring down the state of your mental health. Unfortunately, you can’t get around this issue by simply using public transport. Many people who use busses and trains for a commute lasting more than 30 minutes report low levels of satisfaction with life. Even cyclists aren’t immune to the gloom of long-distance travel! Unfortunately, the only real ways around this problem are home-based roles and relocating closer to your office.

Treadmill Desks Can be Dangerous

After reading my first point, you may think that treadmill desks are the answer to the main health issue of working a desk job. In a way, you’d be right. Working at a treadmill desk can reduce the chances of heart disease and obesity, but it can increase the risk of a nasty injury. As treadmill desks have become more and more popular, there’s been a sharp increase in workplace accidents involving them, with some of these even being taken up to personal injury lawyers as a product liability suit. Aside from that, walking on a treadmill greatly increases your risk of irritating typos!

Too Much Junk Food Strains Your Heart

A lot of white-collar workers go out for an unhealthy lunch every now and then. You might do this once a week at a push or every other day, but even occasionally indulging in junk food can lead to some serious health problems. A portion of fast food typically has about twice as many calories as similar food of the same weight. Your standard burger from a kiosk also contains a lot more oxidised fat than one you’d cook at home, which can seriously up your chances of heart disease. Try to cut down the amount of junk food you’re having at work, and try some healthier options.

 

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